


Wasteland Survival (or My Alarm Clock Went Off 200 Years Late)

by MzRogueRaz (EggplantRed)



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Black Character(s), Comfort, Confusion, Dancing, Drabble, Eating, F/F, F/M, Game Spoilers, Memories, Noodles, Other, Panic, Reminiscing, Slow Dancing, Spoilers, Teleportation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-03 05:04:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5277725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EggplantRed/pseuds/MzRogueRaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabble collection for Ripley Matthews and her adventures across the Commonwealth.</p><p>Rating M for now, could change later. Spoilerish chapters will be tagged/noted accordingly.</p><p>1: Relics (Ripley/Hancock)<br/>2: Cheek to Cheek (Ripley/Hancock)<br/>3: Quandary (Ripley/Hancock) [SPOILER WARNING]<br/>4: Just Blue (Ripley/Piper)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Relics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the only reminder that remained from her life before Vault 111. The only thing that kept her tied to the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little something I posted on Tumblr because the writing bug struck me. Please enjoy!

She stood in the doorway and stared at it. The crib was still in the room. Mobile still attached. It was almost as if it’d all been a dream. The world hadn’t fallen to shit, she hadn’t been locked in a cryogenic pod, and any minute now he’d come around the corner with a baby in his arms, cooing at his father and grasping for his beard.

Sometimes she could still see that day in her sleep. Codsworth calling out to them, the news anchor delivering the news that cities were falling. The desperate way he clutched Shaun closely to his chest during their frantic scramble to the vault. The sirens blaring in the air, drowning out her own thoughts.

Those nights she awoke in cold sweats. Sometimes wrapped in the sheets from thrashing in her sleep, sometimes choking on her own screams. He’d wake up with her, pull her into his arms and hold her. Ready to comfort her, ready to take on whatever ailed her that the chems didn’t take away.

“We heading out again?” He’d slid his arm around her waist while she stared into the abyss of a life 200 years passed. His eyes, jet black pools that expressed more life than they should have for a ghoul, settled on her warmly. Ripley cleared her throat and smiled, “Sure thing, handsome. Give me five?” Hancock chuckled and grabbed his shotgun as he left her to her thoughts, ready to take on anything in the wasteland with her.

She walked in and touched the cold, faded rail. She needed to feel it. The one item of her past life she couldn’t part with, her motivation for dealing with everything she faced out there, fuel that was more potent than any chem. Rifle on her back, Ripley walked outside, still hopeful even after all this time. Like everyday, she hoped today would be the day the relics would no longer be reminders of what was and instead become what is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a random spur of the moment thing. There may or may not be more coming to this. Giving myself the space in case I'm inspired. 
> 
> Feel free to leave comments and kudos!


	2. Cheek to Cheek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They hardly talked about their lives before the Commonwealth turned into a wasteland.  
> Tonight, Hancock's curiosity got the best of him and she let him see a glimpse of the woman before the bombs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED (01/06/16): minor wording and grammatical updates.

“What were you like before?”

From the corner of her eye she could see the smoke billowing from his mouth as they sat there resting. The tone in his voice curious, almost eager if she was hearing him right. They usually refrained from too much talk about the past. “What matters is today,” he’d tell her. They’d given each other a generic ‘getting to know you’ spiel long ago and had left it at that until just before she finally asked him about the next level for them.

And here he was again, inquisitively seeking knowledge about her. The corner of her mouth dragged slightly upward as she took a swallow of whiskey and pondered exactly how to respond.

“I was a typical foolish youngster. Thinking there was this big world out there just waiting for me to conquer it. I was untouchable and could do anything.” Ripley took a hard swallow this time and passed him the bottle. She drew her mouth tightly, letting the liquor’s burn envelop her before continuing.

“I thought I could have everything. That we could have it all.” Her chest tightened at her mention of we. She closed her eyes for a second and tried to calm down before continuing.

“For a while it seemed like we did. Have it all I mean. Until that day.”

She closed her eyes and tried to rid herself of the memory trying to worm its way out. She didn’t want to ruin their moment. This was their time and the ghosts could stay buried. Ripley exhaled and opened her eyes to see he’d moved closer just in case. She smiled and saw the concern in his eyes dissipate almost as fast as the leftover cigarette smoke that’d been hanging in the air.

“We used to dance almost every night after dinner. He’d turn on the radio and ask for my hand and we’d dance cheek to cheek.” She’d barely finished her statement before she began chuckling. She remembered how they’d move around the kitchen, Codsworth buzzing about around them paying them no attention. They swayed to the music or he’d hum his own little tune during commercials. Her laughter subsided when she recalled how as they got older, they danced less and less until they didn’t anymore.

She looked over at Hancock briefly before rising to her feet. Ripley extended her hand to him. He took her help getting back to his feet and started dusting the dirt off.

“Ready to take our show on the road again so soon?”  
When he finally stopped fussing over himself and looked up, he saw her hand still extended, head slightly bowed.

“Dance with me, handsome.”  
He tipped the front of his tri-corner hat back and smirked at her.

“You sure you want to tango with this old ghoul? You might not be able to keep up,” he joked while wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.

Placing her hand in his and settling against his chest, “Just don’t step on my feet.”

They both laughed and began to sway to a tune that no one could hear but them.


	3. Quandary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Over 200 years may have passed but it was him. The reason she kept going, the reason she'd been fighting everything in the wasteland from giant insects to mutant behemoths, she just knew. She'd finally found him but now she was more lost than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER WARNING!!!!
> 
> This drabble and the events discussed in it takes place near the end of the game.

A quick flash of light, a loud pop and she was back at Boston Airport. No longer molecules freely traveling through space, she was one again. Hancock jumped up from the bench and began running towards her as Ripley struggled to gather her bearings. She quickly threw her hand up before he overwhelmed her.

"Out! I need to get out," she yelled as she clawed for the release button. The power armor was suddenly too snug, too confining, too enclosed. She dropped her rifle on the ground and fought to free herself. He closed the gap between them to help.

He searched for the release with her and grew more frustrated as the seconds passed. "Where's the damn latch on this tin can?!?!"

Ripley finally found it and tumbled backwards out of the suit. She fell into his waiting arms, slightly dizzy and gasping for air. So much was happening, it was all too much. Hancock held on to her as they maneuvered to the closest bench.

"Alright you gotta slow it down. Slow, deep breaths. Come on, love." He squeezed her hand and rubbed her back. "Just like when we're hitting the Jet. Take it slow."

It was him she thought as her mind juggled balancing her racing thoughts with easing her body back into its natural rhythm and processes. She knew it was Shaun but he wasn't the infant she recalled from back then. He was a man now, gray hair and wrinkled skin, but she knew those eyes. Those large, kind gray eyes were the only familiar part of him.

Big, bright eyes that used to stare at her with curiosity as she regaled him with stories of her time in the service. That seemed to sparkle when she made him laugh. Gentle eyes that warmed when Brian kissed his forehead and grazed his pillowy cheeks with his thumb. They may have been older now, beset with wrinkles and signs of fatigue, but a mother never forgets her child's eyes.

Ripley slowly regained control of herself before getting lost in thought. The ‘big bad’ that gave the Commonwealth nightmares and had them questioning the people they loved was run by her son. Her own son, head of the Institute. She struggled to resolve that image of him with the infant she remembered. With her head against Hancock's chest, she broke out into tears.

He sat there, waiting for a chance to interject. "You want to tell me about it?" She cried a few more minutes before finding the strength to speak.

"I don't know anymore. I thought I was on this certain path that led to everything I've been fighting for. But after going there and seeing it, I'm lost. I really don't know where to go from here Hancock.”

He pulled her hat off and smoothed her hair back. With a gentleness he only reserved for her, he wiped the tears away and kissed her forehead. “I don't know what's shaken you like this but you're not in this alone. So what the water’s gotten a little murky? Doubt it's anything we can't get through together.”

Ripley managed a tiny glimpse of a smile and put her arms around his neck. Settled there in his arms as he covered her in soft kisses everywhere he could, she closed her eyes and hoped she could still do this. She had to find her way again, no matter what everything was leading up to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From my headcanon:  
> \- Brian Matthews: her spouse from pre-war


	4. Just Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was a Knight to some, the General to many, and a pain in the ass to others. But to her, she was just Blue.  
> Piper and Ripley have a moment while indulging in noodles and stories.

"Na-ni shimasu-ka?"

"Yeah she'll take it." A steaming hot bowl was plopped down in front of her before she could answer for herself.

Piper's chopsticks disappeared into her bowl as she began to dig in. "You won't find better noodles anywhere else. Eat up, Blue."

Ripley looked over the food in front of her, "I'm not sure you can find noodles anywhere else."

Some element of the wonderful aroma wafting from the bowl tickled the back of her nose. Her mouth watered on cue. The milky brown broth wasn't much to look at and could've easily been mistaken for dirty dish water if you couldn't smell it. A quick swirl of her fork and yellow, wavy strands floated to the top along with pieces of what appeared to be green onion. It suddenly looked a lot more appetizing. Scrutiny time was over as she gathered some noodles and finally tried it.

A hit of salt married with a rich creaminess danced over her taste buds. How did it create this kind of flavor? It was enough to make you forget you were in a post-nuclear wasteland. Her mind was boggled but she didn't dare stop to question it further.

She dug into the bowl with fervor, feeling like she could never get enough onto her fork to satisfy her.

"Okay I know I said to eat up but you could come up for air every now and then," Piper chuckled as she slid her empty bowl away.

Ripley didn't even to stop to quip back, she remained focused on her meal.

Piper pulled out a cigarette, “Tell me about your world back then. Not many books left in good shape that portrayed everything before the bombs. I mean I'm pretty sure baseball was nothing like how Moe described it.”

She drank the remaining broth and sighed satisfyingly as she sat her bowl down.

Ripley turned towards Piper and rubbed her stomach. “I am stuffed. Can we reminisce and walk the diamond? I’m sure I need to move or else you’ll have to roll me back to Publick Occurrences.” Piper laughed and stood as she dropped some caps on the counter for Takahashi. She helped Ripley off her stool and they walked around a bit, entertaining each other with stories of the past.

As they rounded the corner towards the wall, a security guard stopped them. “Hey, you're with the Minutemen right? The General?”

Ripley smiled, “That's what some folks call me. Did you need me to check something out for you?”

The guard’s posture straightened, almost as if he wanted to salute her. “No, no. Just wanted to let you know you're doing great work out there for the Commonwealth.”

“Thank you,” as she nodded and smiled. They continued their walk over to the benches.

“See that's what I'm talking about. Stuff like that. You inspire the people. You give them hope. They actually feel like someone is making a difference out there,” Piper remarked before grinning, “General.”

Ripley bumped her with her hip and laughed, “Really Pipes? You're going to start calling me that too?”

She sat down on the bench in a minor laughing fit as she joined her.

“Well that's who you are. The General of the Minutemen. Beacon of the Commonwealth. The boogeyman keeping bad guys up at night. Why wouldn't I call you that?”

“Because it's just us. We're not out saving anyone right now. We're sitting here, two women enjoying the wall in all its green glory.”

Piper playfully nudged her and scooted closer. “It is a good shade of green again thanks to you… General.”

Ripley chuckled softly to herself, “Just Blue, Pipes. With you, I'm always just Blue.”


End file.
